Advancing the Sustainability of Geopolymer Technology through the Development of Rice Husk Ash Based Solid Activators

Olga Andriana Panitsa, Dimitrios Kioupis () and Glikeria Kakali
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Olga Andriana Panitsa: School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Heroon Polytechniou St., 15773 Athens, Greece
Dimitrios Kioupis: School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Heroon Polytechniou St., 15773 Athens, Greece
Glikeria Kakali: School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Heroon Polytechniou St., 15773 Athens, Greece

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 17, 1-16

Abstract: Rice husk ash (RHA), an agricultural waste byproduct, has already been tested as a component in geopolymeric binders, typically as part of the precursor solid mix, alongside materials like fly ash (FA), slag, and cement. This study presents a novel approach where RHA is employed to create a solid activator, aimed at entirely replacing commercial sodium silicates. The synthesis process involves mixing RHA, NaOH (NH), and water by applying a SiO 2 /Na 2 O molar ratio equal to 1, followed by mild thermal treatment at 150 °C for 1 h, resulting in the production of a solid powder characterized by high Na 2 SiO 3 content (60–76%). Additionally, microwave treatment (SiO 2 /Na 2 O = 1, 460 W for 5 min) increases the environmental and economical sustainability of alkali silicates production from RHA since this processing is 12 times faster than conventional thermal treatment reducing at the same time the final product’s embodied energy. The efficacy of this new material as a sole solid activator for the geopolymerization of Greek FA is investigated through various techniques (XRD, FTIR, SEM). One-part geopolymers prepared with RHA-based solid activators demonstrated mechanical performance comparable to those prepared with commercial products (~62 MPa at 7 days). This research contributes to the advancement of sustainable construction practices emphasizing the importance of local materials and reduced environmental impact in achieving long-term sustainability goals.

Keywords: sustainability; one-part geopolymer binders; industrial by-products; green construction; solid activators (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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